Chapter 8 - The Price of Loyalty
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While Matteo prepared for a war council, Jimmy Alvarez was wiping down the counter of the Route 17 Diner, trying to ignore the lingering smell of bleach and copper. It was 2:00 PM, usually his slowest hour.
The bell above the door chimed.
Jimmy looked up, forcing a polite smile that instantly vanished. Three men walked in. They weren't the sloppy thugs from the night before. These men wore tailored suits and moved with the silent, terrifying coordination of professional killers.
The man in the center walked up to the counter. He had a scar slicing through his left eyebrow and eyes as dead as shattered glass.
“You're Jimmy,” the man stated. It wasn't a question.
“Diner’s closed for maintenance,” Jimmy lied, his hands trembling as he reached beneath the counter for the baseball bat he kept near the register.
The man smiled, a humorless stretching of lips. He reached into his suit jacket and placed a manila envelope on the counter. He slid it toward Jimmy.
“Open it.”
Jimmy hesitated, then slowly opened the flap. Inside were dozens of glossy photographs. Photos of Jimmy’s wife walking their dog. Photos of his teenage daughter waiting at the bus stop. Photos of his house.
Jimmy’s breath hitched in his throat. “What do you want?”
“Victor sends his regards,” the scarred man said smoothly. “We know the guy who broke Marcus’s arm last night was a regular here. We know he’s protecting the waitress, Lena. Victor wants a location. Where do they live, Jimmy?”
“I don't know,” Jimmy lied, his voice breaking. “They just work here and eat here. I don't know their address.”
The scarred man reached across the counter with terrifying speed, grabbing Jimmy by the collar of his apron and pulling him halfway across the linoleum.
“Listen to me very carefully, grease-monkey,” the man hissed. “Victor doesn't like being humiliated. He’s going to make an example of this husband, and he’s going to make the waitress watch. If you don't find out where they live by tonight, the next envelope I bring you will contain pieces of your daughter.”
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He released Jimmy, letting the older man collapse against the grill. The three men turned and walked out of the diner, leaving the photographs scattered across the counter like a death sentence.
Jimmy fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands. He was a good man. He was a loyal friend. But as he looked at the picture of his daughter, he knew he was going to betray Lena Marquez.
